Separation and Release of Claims Agreement
Separation and Release of Claims Agreement
This Separation and Release of Claims Agreement (“Agreement”) is entered into by and between eXp Realty, LLC, a Washington limited liability company, (the “Employer”) on behalf of itself, its parents, subsidiaries, and other corporate affiliates and each of their respective present and former employees, officers, directors, owners, shareholders, and agents (collectively referred to as the “Company”), and Xxxxx Xxxxxx (the “Employee”) (the Company and the Employee are collectively referred to as the “Parties”) as of March 20, 2024 (the “Execution Date”).
The Employee’s last day of employment with the Employer is March 20, 2024 (the “Separation Date”). After the Separation Date, the Employee will not represent himself as being an employee, officer, attorney, agent (other than real estate agent, if applicable), or representative of the Company for any purpose. Except as otherwise set forth in this Agreement, the Separation Date was the employment termination date for the Employee for all purposes, meaning the Employee is not entitled to any further compensation, monies, or other benefits from the Company, including coverage under any benefit plans or programs sponsored by the Company, as of the Separation Date.
If any of these statements is not true, the Employee cannot sign this Agreement and must notify the Company immediately in writing of the statements that are not true. This notice will not automatically disqualify the Employee from receiving these benefits, but will require the Company’s further review and consideration.
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Notwithstanding the foregoing, no payment shall be made or begin before the Effective Date of this Agreement. The Effective Date of this Agreement shall be the eighth (8th) day after Employee signs and does not revoke as provided for in Section 5 below.
The Employee understands, acknowledges, and agrees that these benefits exceed what the Employee is otherwise entitled to receive on separation from employment, and that these benefits are being given as consideration in exchange for executing this Agreement and the general release contained herein. The Employee further acknowledges that the Employee is not entitled to any additional payment or consideration not specifically referenced in this Agreement. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed or construed as an express or implied policy or practice of the Company to provide these or other benefits to any individuals other than the Employee.
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In exchange for the consideration provided in this Agreement, the Employee and the Employee’s heirs, executors, representatives, administrators, agents, insurers, and assigns (collectively, the “Releasors”) irrevocably and unconditionally fully and forever waive, release, and discharge the Company, including the Employer’s parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, predecessors, successors, and assigns, and all of their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, trustees, partners and other related persons or entities, in their corporate and individual capacities (collectively, the “Released Parties”), from any and all claims, demands, actions, causes of actions, obligations, judgments, rights, fees, damages, debts, obligations, liabilities, and expenses (inclusive of attorneys’ fees) of any kind whatsoever, whether known or unknown, from the beginning of time through the date of the Employee’s execution of this Agreement (collectively, “Claims”), including, without limitation, any claims under any federal, state, local, or foreign law, that Releasors may have, have ever had, or may in the future have arising out of, or in any way related to the Employee’s hire, benefits, employment, termination, or separation from employment with the Company and any actual or alleged act, omission, transaction, practice, conduct, occurrence, or other matter, including, but not limited to:
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However, this general release and waiver of claims excludes, and the Employee does not waive, release, or discharge: (A) any right to file an administrative charge or complaint with, or testify, assist, or participate in an investigation, hearing, or proceeding conducted by, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or other similar federal or state administrative agencies, although the Employee waives any right to monetary relief related to any filed charge or administrative complaint; and (B) claims that cannot be waived by law, such as claims for unemployment benefit rights and workers’ compensation; (C) indemnification rights the Employee has against the Employer; (D) any right to file an unfair labor practice charge under the National Labor Relations Act or Employee’s rights under a collective bargaining agreement without processes; and (E) any rights to vested benefits, such as pension or retirement benefits, the rights to which are governed by the terms of the applicable plan documents and award agreements.
If the Employee applies for unemployment benefits, the Company will respond truthfully, completely, and timely to any inquiries by the applicable state unemployment insurance agency or department of labor concerning the termination of Employee’s employment.
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In further consideration of the payments and benefits provided to the Employee in this Agreement, the Releasors hereby irrevocably and unconditionally fully and forever waive, release, and discharge the Released Parties from any and all Claims, whether known or unknown, from the beginning of time through the date of the Employee’s execution of this Agreement arising under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), as amended, and its implementing regulations. By signing this Agreement, the Employee hereby acknowledges and confirms that:
The Employee understands and acknowledges that by virtue of the Employee’s employment with the Company, the Employee had access to and knowledge of Confidential Information, was in a position of trust and confidence with the Company,
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and benefitted from the Company’s goodwill. The Employee understands and acknowledges that the Company invested significant time and expense in developing the Confidential Information and goodwill.
The Employee further understands and acknowledges that the restrictive covenants below are necessary to protect the Company’s legitimate business interests in its Confidential Information and goodwill. The Employee further understands and acknowledges that the Company’s ability to reserve these for the exclusive knowledge and use of the Company is of great competitive importance and commercial value to the Company and that the Company would be irreparably harmed if the Employee violates the restrictive covenants below.
The Employee understands and acknowledges that during the course of employment with the Company, the Employee has had access to and learned about confidential, secret, and proprietary documents, materials, and other information, in tangible and intangible form, of and relating to the Company and its businesses and existing and prospective customers, suppliers, investors, and other associated third parties (“Confidential Information”). The Employee further understands and acknowledges that this Confidential Information and the Company’s ability to reserve it for the exclusive knowledge and use of the Company is of great competitive importance and commercial value to the Company, and that improper use or disclosure of the Confidential Information by the Employee might cause the Company to incur financial costs, loss of business advantage, liability under confidentiality agreements with third parties, civil damages, and criminal penalties.
For purposes of this Agreement, Confidential Information includes, but is not limited to, all information not generally known to the public, in spoken, printed, electronic, or any other form or medium, relating directly or indirectly to: business processes, practices, methods, policies, plans, publications, documents, research, operations, services, strategies, techniques, agreements, contracts, terms of agreements, transactions, potential transactions, negotiations, pending negotiations, know-how, trade secrets, computer programs, computer software, applications, operating systems, software design, web design, work-in-process, databases, manuals, records, articles, systems, material, sources of material, supplier information, vendor information, financial information, results, accounting information, accounting records, legal information, marketing information, advertising information, pricing information, credit information, design information, payroll information other than the Employee’s own payroll information, staffing information other than the Employee’s own staffing information, personnel information other than the Employee’s own personnel information, employee lists, supplier lists, vendor lists, developments, reports, internal controls, security procedures, graphics, drawings, sketches, market studies, sales information, revenue, costs, formulae, notes, communications, algorithms, product plans, designs, styles, models, ideas, audiovisual programs, inventions, unpublished patent applications, original works of authorship, discoveries, experimental processes, experimental results, specifications,
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customer information, customer lists, client information, client lists, manufacturing information, factory lists, distributor lists, buyer lists, and other such examples of confidential information of the Company or its businesses or any existing or prospective customer, supplier, investor, or other associated third party, or of any other person or entity that has entrusted information to the Employee in confidence.
The Employee understands that the above list is not exhaustive, and that Confidential Information also includes other information that is marked or otherwise identified as confidential or proprietary, or that would otherwise appear to a reasonable person to be confidential or proprietary in the context and circumstances in which the information is known or used.
The Employee understands and agrees that Confidential Information developed by the Employee in the course of the Employee’s employment by the Employer is subject to the terms and conditions of this Agreement as if the Company furnished the same Confidential Information to the Employee in the first instance. Confidential Information shall not include information that is generally available to and known by the public at the time of disclosure to the Employee, provided that the disclosure is through no direct or indirect fault of the Employee or person(s) acting on the Employee’s behalf.
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The Employee understands and acknowledges that the Employee’s obligations under this Agreement regarding any particular Confidential Information begin immediately and shall continue during and after the Employee’s employment by the Employer until the Confidential Information has become public knowledge other than as a result of the Employee’s breach of this Agreement or a breach by those acting in concert with the Employee or on the Employee’s behalf.
Nothing in this Agreement prohibits or restricts the Employee (or Employee’s attorney) from initiating communications directly with, responding to an inquiry from, or providing testimony before the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), any other self-regulatory organization, or any other federal or state regulatory authority regarding this Agreement or its underlying facts or circumstances or a possible securities law violation.
Nothing in this Agreement in any way prohibits or is intended to restrict or impede the Employee from discussing the terms and conditions of his/her employment with co-workers or union representatives/exercising protected rights under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act/exercising protected rights to the extent that such rights cannot be waived by agreement, or otherwise disclosing information as permitted by law.
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The Employee understands and acknowledges that the Company has expended and continues to expend significant time and expense in recruiting and training its employees and that the loss of employees would cause significant and irreparable harm to the Company. The Employee agrees and covenants not to directly or indirectly solicit, hire, recruit, attempt to hire or recruit, or induce the termination of employment of any employee of the Company for the remainder of the Employee’s employment with the Company and for the term of 12 months, to run consecutively, beginning on the Separation Date.
The Employee understands and acknowledges that the Company has expended and continues to expend significant time and expense in developing real estate agent and customer relationships, real estate agent and customer information, and goodwill, and that because of the Employee’s experience with and relationship to the Company, the Employee has had access to and learned about much or all of the Company’s real estate agent and customer information (individually and collectively “Customer Information”). Customer Information includes, but is not limited to, names, phone numbers, addresses, email addresses, transaction history, transaction preferences, chain of command, pricing information, and other information identifying facts and circumstances specific to the real estate agent or customer and relevant to sales and services.
The Employee understands and acknowledges that loss of any of these real estate agents and/or customer relationships or goodwill will cause significant and irreparable harm to the Company.
The Employee agrees and covenants, during the next 12 months, to run consecutively, beginning on the Separation Date, not to directly or indirectly solicit or
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attempt to solicit, contact (including but not limited to communications using email, regular mail, express mail, telephone, fax, instant message, social media, or any other oral, written, or electronic transmission), attempt to contact, or meet with the Company’s current, former, or prospective real estate agents or customers for purposes of offering or accepting brokerage services, goods or services similar to or competitive with those offered by the Company.
This restriction shall only apply to:
For clarity, nothing in this section shall prevent Employee from entering into or continuing an independent contractor relationship with Company as a real estate agent using Company as his brokerage, nor from conducting the usual business of a real estate agent with other real estate agents associated with Company.
This Section does not in any way restrict or impede the Employee from exercising protected rights, including rights under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) or the federal securities laws, including the Xxxx-Xxxxx Act, to the extent that such rights cannot be waived by agreement or from complying with any applicable law or regulation or a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction or an authorized government agency, provided that such compliance does not exceed that required by the law, regulation, or order.
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This Section does not in any way restrict or impede the Employee from exercising protected rights to the extent that such rights cannot be waived by agreement or from complying with any applicable law or regulation or a valid order of a court of competent jurisdiction or an authorized government agency, provided that such compliance does not exceed that required by the law, regulation, or order.
If the Employee fails to comply with any of the terms of this Agreement or post-termination obligations contained in it, or if the Employee revokes the ADEA release contained in Section 4 within the seven-day revocation period, the Company may, in addition to any other remedies it may have, reclaim any amounts paid to the Employee under the provisions of this Agreement or terminate any benefits or payments that are later due under this Agreement, without waiving the releases provided in it.
The Parties mutually agree that this Agreement can be specifically enforced in court and can be cited as evidence in legal proceedings alleging breach of the Agreement.
The Company may freely assign this Agreement at any time. This Agreement shall inure to the benefit of the Company and its successors and assigns.
The Employee may not assign this Agreement in whole or in part. Any purported assignment by the Employee shall be null and void from the initial date of the purported assignment.
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The Parties further agree that any such court is expressly authorized to modify any such unenforceable provision of this Agreement instead of severing such unenforceable provision from this Agreement in its entirety, whether by rewriting the offending provision, deleting any or all of the offending provision, adding additional language to this Agreement, or by making such other modifications as it deems necessary to carry out the intent and agreement of the Parties as embodied in this Agreement to the maximum extent permitted by law.
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The Parties expressly agree that this Agreement as so modified by the court shall be binding upon and enforceable against each of them. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable in any respect, such invalidity, illegality, or unenforceability shall not affect any other provisions hereof, and if such provision or provisions are not modified as provided above, this Agreement shall be construed as if such invalid, illegal, or unenforceable provisions had not been set forth in it.
Notice to the Company:
Attention: Legal Department
0000 Xxxxxxx Xx, Xxxxx 000
Bellingham, WA 98226
Notice to the Employee:
Xxxxx Xxxxxx
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[Signature Page Immediately Follows]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties have executed this Agreement as of the Execution Date
above.
| eXp REALTY, LLC |
| By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxxx Xxxxx: Chief Executive Officer |
EMPLOYEE | |
Signature: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxx Name: Xxxxx Xxxxxx | |
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